Yarn beam



F. C. SORTON Dec. 30, 1952 YARN BEAM Filed March 24, 1948 1N VEN TOR.

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WMI. dl Ill hmmlw N71. w w l m 'Usually such a"-rotation^controlling element ijs'j :corporated` in l what is, "fin effect,I anL additional vsection' of the beam `aissembly,fand' isconnected Patented Dec. 30, 1795.2

UNITED STATES?" ser ENT CFFICE Freacharles surfen;-whitisviueyMese,assigner to Whitin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass.,

a corporation "o'f Massachusetts' Yspiel;eener; March `.24, 1948serie1 Noname.

x nieuwe] (01.24251424) handling are made 4inta"- number of sections;

usually two sections, assembledend to end."A Ealzah'` section is supportedat its two ends on members" of the frame "of theinachine, and commonlylthe adjacentends of thesection's" arefcoupled"to-yA gether by meansof intermeshin'g dogsfo'some-` thing of the sort in order that in'supplyiiig fyarn the sections of the beam may rotate" as "one'so far as reasonablypossible'. Also the beam'assema' bly (whetherthe beamfitself comprises 'afnumi ber offsec'itions` or `onlyone)fusually includes 'at least'o'ne element forlcontrollingthe rotationofj thebeam, forexa'inpiethedrumvjefja brake, 'or ai gearifo'r'connectingthe'oeam to, 'for example a to the beam; or to sections of the beam, in `rgen`` erallyfsmilar' manners, i. e. by intermeshing or interlocking dogs 'or something' of the kind.

Suchlconnectionsjhowever have not beenwholly satisfactory.-` l

Speaking general-ly, the present invention'providesfa" yarn beam assembly in which thesecf' tions are connected toieach other in such a man-"V` nerthat not- `c 111ycan aflled beam "or spool be substituted -readily `for l"a beam or spool fromV which the ya-rn: has been run 01T, but `also"the adjacent sections are-connected together so rmly that"y they acti eectively as 'a `unit despite the great stresses to whichsuch connections are` subjectedsometimesf p Br'ieiiy;` according to the invention, sections ci the yarn beam* assembly;-` at least l one of which" is a `threads-carrying section, aredrawn togetherA longitudinally; Preferably they are thus drawn', one to. another, overl tapered centering pins,V Preferablyr also the sectionsA arefpi'ovided lvlnhaoll` dition with` intermshing connections of" some sort,':such""a`s intermeshing teeth, slot-and-pin connections, key-and-slot, etc., i. e. connections of a type tending to prevent relative angular Fig". 'Z'is a` longitudinal section of threedearryinglSeesen. it wm .beundersteect areE used h'eref'as mean adapted. to @ferries The Ipre'fe'rred.. form ing a spoolor a `yarn beam or "more spools., 1 i Y Figfl is an elevation maohineinwhichthefbeam is mounted and severalemptyfyarn spools mounted on the beam. the twoends and the center portion lofthe mechanismoffie:

1- FESL Stiliddiere `ClOs Sectional Viewson the unessf and del;

The mountfedfi'n three'vertical members IB, Il and of al warp knitting machine.

assembly section "B which contains aA secondsece and a third assembly section @which contains the,rotationecontrolling element. 5.,'f In the prese tionlntrollil'g element 'I` Ysect'ins' may Y toftiirn .thellbea'mmay be supplied. For the presentpurposes however it caribe assumed i the lb'e'am isiotated by. tension applied to the.

yarns,` thatfthis tension is applied and the yarn is drawn ff intermittently, and that the gear it connects the assembly to a brake intendedto stop whenever the tension the rotation .Tof the beam on 'the yarns is removed and hence prevent overrunningof the beam.

TheV rst section prises primarily e Ahollowtubefle and i1 and'l vfixed in the'` ends of the tube and by which "it ismounte'd andisconnected to the secondfasseniblyfand beam section. `Similarly the secondsection of the "yarn beam comprises primarily'atube 20 andtwo plugs 2l and 22 iixedI in the two endso'f. .tube` 20 formounting and connections. 1I n` the present instance the yarn is intendedfto be Woundy onl spools 23, a number of whichare mounted end to end on each beam section." T o lix its line of spools `to the tube I6,

24 fixed to one endol this tube nasen annum it, a second annulus25'loose on the opposite end at the latter end ofthe y Off `the tube at will or .i

of the tube," and a ring 26 tube that canbe `slipped locked to the tube by one or more threaded bolts 21. The ring 26 carries a number of threaded bolts 28 that @an be turned into engngnmewf mm1 of the invention i is illus? tratedl, irf the accompanying fdrawingsin which.

.ofV illustrative` portions .of a Yarn bea-11,1 assembly 4errlbodvins thenvention, there beingfshownalso parts of av `Warp;kl-ltting i rnqbeam assembly of the I2V y i n This yarn, beam... assembly consists of `an assembly section A which. contains one sectionof the, yarn beam, a second.`

nt ,instance this rotas:4 5.. is a gear by. which the be connected to a bralgef. h'conceiv'ablyrnore or less of the powerA L01? the' yarn beam itself,` two, plugsl stitute lled spools 23 for the empty spools 23 shown on the beam or beam section tube I6, the beam or section rst is removed from between the frame members II and I2 (as by procedure described later) and then its bolts 28 are loosened from its annulus 25, and its ring 25 and annulus 25 are removed successively from the beam. The empty spools 23 are then slipped ofi the beam, and, say, a similar number of similar spools filled with yarn are slipped onto the beam tube IG. The rst oi the lled spools is thrust against the fixed annulus or flange 24 (Figs. 1 and 2) and each thereafter in succession is thrust against the next (Fig, 2). When the proper number have been put on the beam, the loose annulus 25 is slipped onto the tube I again and thrust against 'the last spool (Fig. 2, the annulus serves to protect the spools from the bolts 28), the ring 26 is slipped onto the tube, and then is locked to the tube by the bolt or bolts 21. Then the bolts 28 are turned to thrust their heads against the annulus tightly. This serves to lock the spool-s 23 to the tube I5 and beam, both longitudinally and rotatably, and carrying the filled spools the section can be restored to its place 0n the machine. The tube 28 of the second section is provided similarly with annuli 24 and 25, and a ring 25 and bolts 21 and 28, all of which are operable in a similar manner. It is to be understood however that the foregoing is only a convenient arrangement for fixing yarn spools to a beam. It forms no part of the present invention. The invention is not limited either to such a spoolattaching arrangement or to beams which carry their yarns on spools.

Conveniently too the right-hand end o section A is supported by a bearing 32 which is anchored in the end of its plug I1 and which, when the section is in place in the machine, is carried by an elongated member 33 which is slidably mounted in the adjacent frame member I2. The end of the member 33 on which the bearing 32 is carried is so sized that it can be slipped into and Withdrawn from the bearing readily. A bolt 34 is provided to releasably clamp the elongated member 33 in beam-carrying position. The frame member I2 is spaced suiiiciently from the adjacent end of the section A when the latter is in operating position, Fig. 2, to permit the section to be moved, when the clamp 34 is released, far enough toward the member I2 to withdraw the opposite end of the section from its bearing 58 at its opposite end and from the section B. This construction permits the section A to be removed readily from the machine for the substitution of a lled beam section for an empty one, or for the substitution of lled spools for empty ones on the beam.

In accordance with the invention, a bar 38 is provided within and coaxial with the beam tube I5. 1t is mounted slidably and rotatably in the plugs I1 and I8, and provided with a collar 31 engageable With a surface on plug I1 to limit its movement toward the section B. At the plug I8, the end of the bar 38, which is threaded, projects from the beam section, and ata complementary place the plug 2i oi the section Bis provided with a rthreaded bore 39 into which the end of the bar 38 is threaded to draw the two sections A and B together longitudinally. In order to rotate the bar 38 to screw it into and unscrew it from the bore 33, the elongated member 33 is made hollow and a key or wrench 40 is provided to reach through the-member 33 to the adjacent end of the .bar (Fig. 2).- The engagement between the end or the bar and the Wrench may be, for eX- ample, by a pin and bayonet slot as shown at 4I.

Preferably a tapered centering pin 42 is provided around the bar 38 at the plug I8, and a recess 43 to receive the tapered pin, say similarly tapered, is provided in the adjacent plug 2I of the section B. Preferably the centering taper either is formed on the plug I8 or is fastened to the plug, say as indicated. Additionally the face of the plug I8 is provided with one or more longitudinally projecting dogs 41 closely tting in complementary slots 48 in the adjacent face of the plug 2l of the section B, the dogs and slots being displaced radially from the centerlines of the connecting bar 38 and the sections A and B and accordingly forming complementary elements of an intermeshing connection tending to prevent angular displacement of one of these tWo sections with respect to the other (Figs. 2 and 3). These two adjacent ends 0f the sections A and B are supported by a bearing 49 into which set both the dogs V41 and the portion of the plug 2l in which the slots 48 are formed. This bearing in turn is carried by the frame member II of the knitting machine, anda removable cap 58 is provided to hold the bearing to the frame member.

The relations are such that the threading or turning of the bar 38 of section A into the bore 39 of 'section B serves to draw the walls of the recess 43 onto and in contact with the taper of the pin 42, and draw the dog or dogs 41 into the slot or slots 48, and thus attach the two sections together rmly by longitudinal action.

The third section C of the beam assembly supports the opposite end of the section B and contains the rotation-controlling element I5 (driver or restrainer). Speaking generally the rotation-controlling section C is connected `to section B in a similar fashion. This section C is mounted in a beairng which is carried by the machine frame member I8. Primarily the section consists of a sleeve 56 Within the bearing 55 and carrying the rotation-controlling gear I5, a centering pin 51 coaxial of and slidable within the sleeve 55 and tapered at its end adjacent section B, and a threaded bar 58 substantially coaxial with and slidable within the centering pin 51. The gear I5 and a collar 59 on the two ends of the sleeve 56, engageable with the opposite side of, say, the frame member I0, retain the sleeve within the bearing. A collar 60 on the outer end of the centering pin 51 and engageable with the outer end of sleeve 56, limits the movement of the pin toward the section B. The bar 53 is provided with a hand wheel 6I on its outer end for rotating the bar; the bearing of this hand wheel against the outer end of the centering pin 51 limits the inward movement of the bar. A collar 82 on the threaded bar 58 and slidable in an elongated bore 63 in the inner end of the centering pin 51, helps to center the inner end of the bar 58 which carries the threads. The adjacent plug 22 of the beam assembly section B is provided complementarily with a threaded bore 84 into which, in operating position, the bar 58 is threaded. It is provided also with a recess 65 in which the tapered end of the centering pin 51 is received when the parts are in operating positions (Fig. 2); as shown the recess 85 may be tapered similarly to the tapered end of the centering pin. One or more keys 85 on a face of the rotation-controlling gear I5, and a complementary slot or slots 61 in the adjacent face of the plug 22 (Figs. 2 and 4), provide an intermeshing connection, displaced radially from the centerline, tending to prevent relative angular motion between the two sections B and C. Again the relations are such that .screwing the longitudinal `threaded bar 58 into the bore 64 draws the two sections B and 4C irmly together, seats section B onzthe taper of the pin 51, and locks the elements 66 and 61 of the intermeshing connection in intermeshing relation, and accordingly fastens the two sections together both longitudinally and iirmly.

When it is desired to remove the beam sections from the machine for, say, the substitution of filled spools for empty spools 23, provision is first made for supporting the first section A as this section is withdrawn from its supports on the machine; for example, it may be slung to a crane. The key or wrench 40 is then used to unscrew the threaded bar 38 from the plug 2l of the second section B, and usually retract it into the plug I8; then the clamp 34 is released, and then the member 33 is slid out of the bearing 32 and Well to the right in Fig. 2. The whole section A is then moved bodily to the right until the dogs lll are pulled out of the bearing 49 and the tapered pin 42 and threaded bar 33 are fully outside the recess 43 of the second section B; the spacing provided for between the supporting member I 2 of the knitting machine and the rst section A when the latter (Fig. 2), is made sufthe right-hand supporting member 33 and its left-hand bearing 49 and the section B, the section A is carried away from between the frame wheel 6| is then rotated to unscrew from the plug 22 of the section B, preferably the bar 58 is slid (to the left in 2) to draw the bar 53 from the recess 65 of the plug 22. Also the cap 50 is lifted to permit the bearing 49 to be lifted from its seat in the frame member il. The section B (carrying with it the bearing 49) is then moved from between the frame members l and Il in such a direction that the slot or slots B1 permit the plug 22 to pass away from the key or keys 66; for example, the beam sections may be turned to a position where the key or keys 66 are disposed vertically, and then the section B raised from between l0 and l l. The section B also is then conveyed to a convenient place where the empty spools on the beam tube can be replaced by lled spools, as before described. When the two beam sections have been supplied with lled spools, the two sections can be returned to the knitting machine by operations which are the reverse of those described above for taking the two sections away from the machine.

It will be understood that the invention is not asas,

claim: l. A yarn beam sections arranged 2. The subject matter of claim l, characterized by the fact that one of said two sections is provided with a tapered centering pin and the other thereof is provided with a recess to receive said pin.

3. The subject y the fact that sections.

4. A yarn beam assembly having at least two sections arranged end to end, one of said two sections being provided with a threaded bore, and a recess receiving said pin.

6. The subject by the fact that with an intermeshing connection, displaced from bar, tending to prevent relative rotation of the two sections.

7. In a yarn beam assembly, two yarn beam sections arranged substantially end to end, one of said sections being hollow from end to end and the other of said sections being provided with and projecting therefrom and bore to draw the said two sections together longi tudinally.

two hollow yarn beam sections arranged end to end, a plug in each engageable with one of said plugs to limit the movement of said bar toward said other of the two sections, and a plug in said other of the two sections provided with a threaded bore, the end of said bar which projects from the iirst mentioned section being threaded into said bore.

9. The subject matter of claim 8, characterized by the fact that one of the two plugs of adjacent ends of the two beam sections is provided with a tapered centering pin and the other is provided with a recess receiving said pin.

10. The subject matter of claim 8, characterized by the fact that the two plugs of adjacent ends of the two beam sections are provided with com-- plementary elements of an intermeshing connection, displaced radially from said bar to tend to prevent relative angular motion between the said two sections.

11. In a yarn beam assembly, a yarn beam proassembly having at least two f l l end to end, at least one of., which isla thread-carrying section, and ascoli-1,`

2,623,709 7 vided With a threaded bore in one end, a support REFERENCES CITED for the opposite endof the beam, a bearing adja- The fou W-n references are of record in the cent the first mentioned end of the beam, a rotame of this gatnt: tion-controlling element mounted in said projecting bearing, a tapered centering pin longi- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS tudinally slidable Within and substantially co- Number Name Date axially of said rotation-controlling element, a 1,631,095 Hathaway May 31, 1927 threaded bar slidable Within said centering pin, 2,208,456 Howsam July 16, 1940 a collar on said bar to limit the movement of said bar toward said yarn beam, said bar being thread- 10 ed into said threaded bore, and complementary elements of an intermeshing connection on said rotation-controlling element and said beam.

FRED CHARLES SORTON. 

